Youth Politicians from Eastern Europe at JHS Spring School

May 24-27, youth politicians from Eastern Europe and Sweden met at Hotel Utsikten in Nynäshamn, Sweden, to discuss Principles for a Free Society. The 21 participants, representing center-right political parties in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova, discussed their countries’ and the regions’ challenges together with their Swedish counterparts. The conference was chaired by professor Nigel Ashford from the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University in Washington DC.

Youth Politicians at JHS Spring School

Different topics were discussed during the weekend, as the importance of democracy, rule of law, a free civil society, free enterprise and private property. Ms Evelina Lorentzon, former senior project manager at JHS who today works in the private sector as a risk analyst pointed out the importance for oppositional parties to have a clear political vision and an agenda for reforms, ready to be put in place when the party comes into office.

To learn from others’ success stories and setbacks was another goal with the conference, and especially Georgia’s improvements in fighting corruption was mentioned as one important step in the right direction by the youth politicians. Furtheron, the particpants made professional and personal contacts for their future careers.

A number of Swedish decisioin makers participated in the seminars, as the two moderate MP:s Mr Gustav Blix and Mr Christian Holm as well as the Mayor of Tyresö, Mr Fredrik Saweståhl. The discussions during the conference were based on professor Nigel Ashfords book Principles for a Free Society, which can also be read and downloaded here at the JHS webpage.